Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while covering an Israeli raid in the West Bank last week.
Video of Israeli police beating pallbearers at Al Jazeera journalist ’s in Jerusalem sparked shock and condemnation around the world. Dozens of officers attacked mourners with batons on Friday and at one point an officer can be seen hitting the men carrying her coffin.
„We were deeply troubled by the images of Israeli police intruding into the funeral procession of Palestinian American Shireen Abu Akleh“, wrote U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Twitter Saturday. „Every family deserves to lay their loved ones to rest in a dignified and unimpeded manner.“
Israeli police say they are investigating the events surrounding the incident but they accuse „rioters“ for sabotaging the funeral by „throwing stones and other objects at Israeli Police officers.“
That didn’t satisfy the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the city’s lead Catholic clergyman, who said the „Israeli police’s invasion and disproportionate use of force… is a severe violation of international norms and regulations.“
Her niece, Lina Abu Akleh, was in the front row when the police attacked the crowd of mourners and pallbearers on their way to a church in Jerusalem’s Old City.
„There were no clashes, we were merely carrying the casket“, Lina says.
